So it seems like anyone on this board with a lower GPA at least has an upward trend going for them. How about people without this? How screwed are we? I actually chose a major that as it turned out, I wasn't very good at. Should I address this in a PS/addendum or just kinda sidestep it? (At least I have several years since I've graduated college now)

BigA wrote:So it seems like anyone on this board with a lower GPA at least has an upward trend going for them. How about people without this? How screwed are we? I actually chose a major that as it turned out, I wasn't very good at. Should I address this in a PS/addendum or just kinda sidestep it? (At least I have several years since I've graduated college now)

I had a downward trend. The trend only matters if your numbers aren't good overall. If your indexed numbers are in the bottom quarter, you'd better have some really good softs.

I would say address it (especially if you are several years out and have a legitimate argument that you are more mature/capable now). FWIW, I majored in a field in which I had absolutely no interest, and did about average work without really studying. My grades were all over the place with no trend. I prepared an addendum addressing my low GPA rather than letting adcom's assume anything about me. There was no sob story or excuses other than I fucked up back then because I wasn't interested, but I'm not that person any more. I definitely give the addendum credit for helping me get into some of my reaches, and getting waitlisted (as opposed to outright rejected) at others.

consistent trend of < 3.0. I'm *hoping* to god adcomms acknowledge that I went to a Canadian school w/ a harsh c curve (as I've said in other threads, no one in my program is above a 3.5...and there's 2 people with a 3.5 out of 180 ppl). Hoping that working 60 hours a week will be a decent enough excuse for some of it. Even when I had 3 classes, my average was only a 3.0 which wasn't really out of the norm, so the consistency of my work schedule and consistency in grades might be a congruent excuse lol.